Microsoft expands Xbox Live ad presence

An expanded range of TV-like advertisements are set to appear on Xbox Live in the near future.

Microsoft has revealed plans to increase the number of ads shown when users boot up Xbox 360 apps such as Last.fm and ESPN. Many will now include a 15-30 second video when initially loaded.

Such spots were first introduced in last year’s dashboard update and since then app usage has doubled on the platform.

Ad spend on Xbox Live has increased by 142 per cent since 2010.

The move ties into the company’s larger intentions of turning its once ‘games console’ into a viable living room ‘multimedia hub’ – a strategy it has so far executed with ruthless efficiency.